PGA TOUR THRIVING ON TAX BREAKS

Back in September, we told you about S.1524, "The Properly Reducing Overexemptions for Sports Act" — legislation proposed by U.S. Senator Tom Coburn (R-Oklahoma). Coburn's bill seeks to:

Define a major professional sports league as an organization with gross receipts over $10 million and involved with fostering sports competitions.

Remove statutory language from the tax code allowing "professional football leagues" to enjoy the same tax-exempt status as industry trade associations.

Amend the tax code to prohibit any professional sports organization substantially involved in running league affairs from qualifying as a 501(C)(6) tax-exempt trade association, typically used by industry organizations or chambers of commerce.

The PGA Tour's donations to charitable and community amount to $2 billion over the last 75 years, offsetting tax breaks totaling roughly $200 million over the last 20 years. The Tour's contributions far and away outweigh those of the National Football League, which amounts to some $368 million over the last 40 years.

Whether or not you agree with the NFL and the PGA Tour receiving non-profit status, Lavigne's report is definitely worth seeing and reading.